title: Abdominal pain and a raised amylase? It's not always pancreatitis. . .
abstract: We report the case of a 72 year old man with a history of COPD and heavy alcohol consumption who was initially diagnosed with acute pancreatitis based on a presentation with epigastric pain and elevated serum amylase. Review of his notes revealed several previous similar admissions and extensive normal investigations apart from persistently elevated amylase. Further analysis showed evidence of macroamylasaemia which accounted for the apparently high serum amylase level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Southampton, NHS Foundation Trust, MP6, Level D, South Block, Tremona Road, Southampton, SO166YD, UK.
authors.forename: I O
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Oluwatowoju
authors.forename: O E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Abu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lawson
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000097:blood*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood*; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D034321:Hyperamylasemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases